Raiders brass descends on Miami, interviewing top coaching candidates and eyeing a potential franchise quarterback. The search intensifies.
The city of Miami has the attention of the football world on Monday night with the College Football Championship taking place between Indiana University and the University of Miami. Beyond the college level, however, there could be real NFL-level implications in the next day or two coming from Miami, as Las Vegas Raiders higher-ups will be in South Florida as they narrow down the search for their next head coach.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, several candidates for the job will be in Miami to meet with the Raiders brass. NFL Hall of Famer and Raiders minority owner Tom Brady will be one of those in Miami for the festivities.
Three Raiders coaching candidates are confirmed to have meetings scheduled or completed by the end of Tuesday, according to Russini. Former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniels won’t have to travel far to give his pitch to the Raiders, as he was let go less than two weeks ago. His meeting was set for Monday morning in Miami.
In four seasons with the Dolphins, McDaniels recorded 35 wins and 33 losses, with two exits in the first round of the 2022 and 2023 playoffs. At 42 years old, McDaniels was one of the youngest head coaches in the NFL during his time in Miami. Since being fired, McDaniels has been taking interviews for both head coaching and offensive coordinator vacancies. He was previously the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers in 2021.
The Raiders have another interview scheduled for Tuesday morning with Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. As the DC for Carolina since 2023, Evero has played a role in its sudden rise to a playoff level. The Panthers had one of the better passing defenses in 2025 under Evero, ranking seventh in passing touchdowns allowed and eighth in interceptions.
Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter will also meet with the Raiders' brass on Tuesday. In his two seasons with the Chargers, they’ve been one of the better defenses in the league. Last season, the Chargers finished in the top five in total yards allowed, passing touchdowns allowed, and interceptions.
Perhaps the biggest thing to happen in the next few days in Miami will be the Raiders’ chance to watch the projected No. 1 overall pick, QB Fernando Menodza, play in the championship. With the first selection in this year’s draft and several interviews scheduled, this long weekend in Miami will be pivotal for the future of the franchise.